Gosport

Gosport's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and health.

The population reached nearly 83,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Gosport increased by 8.1%, from about 76,400 to 82,600.

The addition of just over 6,200 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Gosport was home to, on average, 23 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Gosport

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Gosport increased by three years, from 37 to 40 years.

This service economy area had a slightly higher average age than the South East and became slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 2,300 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 11% of people in Gosport are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Gosport by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Gosport

The number of people in Gosport that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 13,000 in 2001 to just over 27,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 17% to 33% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious beliefs.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Gosport that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 58,000 in 2001 to about 49,000 in 2011 (from 75% to 59%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 5,400 to just under 5,600. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 7.1% to 6.7%.

About 450 people (0.3%) said they were Muslim, up from about 240 in 2001 (0.6%).

The population without a religion in Gosport increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Gosport by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Gosport

Gosport saw the South East's largest fall in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 9 in 10 (90%) in Gosport reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities, compared with 91% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.9% to 3.6%.

Across the region, New Forest saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 90% in 2001 to 88% in 2011).

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Long hour working fell in Gosport, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the South East.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a fall in the proportion of people working long hours, as the regional average fell from 14% to 11%.

During this period, Gosport went from having the 56th-highest to the 16th-lowest percentage of long hours workers out of 309 English local authority areas.

Long hour working was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Gosport that rented privately increased from 8.6% to 16% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in six (16%) households lived in social housing, compared with 18% in 2001. The percentage of Gosport households that owned their home decreased from 72% to 65%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10% in 2001 to 16% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Gosport increased by 7.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Gosport, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Gosport residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.0% to 4.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69% in 2001. The percentage of Gosport residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Gosport decreased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Gosport, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Gosport

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Gosport, but at a slower rate than in Portsmouth (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Gosport).

In Gosport, the proportion of single people increased from 27% in 2001 to 30% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Portsmouth increased from 36% to 44%.

Across the South East, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 29% to 32%.

The proportion of married people in Gosport fell from 52% to 48%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 13% to 15%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of households in Gosport, which comprised one person, increased from 28% to 30% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Gosport which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 39% to 33%.

The proportion of one-person households increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 29%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Gosport

The number of people in Gosport from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 75,000 in 2001 to about 80,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the local population, this represented a decrease from 98% to 96%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Gosport from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 530 in 2001 to just under 1,100 in 2011 (from 0.7% to 1.3%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just over 470 to about 1,100 (from 0.6% to 1.3%).

Just over 590 people (0.2%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just under 170 in 2001 (0.7%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Gosport decreased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Gosport by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Gosport residents that were unemployed increased from 2.7% to 4.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (58%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 60% in 2001. The percentage of Gosport residents that were self-employed increased from 6.1% to 7.5%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Gosport increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Gosport, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Gosport without children remained close to 61% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (30%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 31% in 2001. The percentage of households in Gosport with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.5% to 8.8%.

The proportion of households without children increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 62%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Gosport residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.0% to 1.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.0%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 0.8% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Gosport remained close to 1.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Gosport by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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